Labour hierarchy in Gloucester have been accused of ‘bullying’ and undermining their ex-General Election candidate, in a savage political rebuke by him on them.

In a withering attack on some of the most influential people in his own party, Barry Kirby said the experience of this year’s campaign means he is not throwing his hat in to the ring this time round, as the party prepares to find a Prospective Parliamentary Candidate to stand next time.

In a blog post today, he said had to reveal why he would not be standing again because many people had asked him to.

Mr Kirby said that during the last election ‘there was an undercurrent, primarily of Gloucester Labour Executive Committee officers, who did all they could to distance themselves from the campaign’.

“They would not campaign with the rest of the team, and would not engage with the campaign themes,” he wrote.

“Their actions through the campaign, and then, in the following months alongside the actions of a minority of local Labour councillors to smear my name in the press and in public have made it clear that they do not share my values of community and people before politics.

“Working in that atmosphere for six weeks was difficult but we did it for those people in Gloucester who desperately needed a Labour MP – to do that for five years is too much for me to ask my family and friends to put up with, as it is they who have been primarily hurt by the lies and deceitful actions taken against me.

“To my wife, family and friends, I can only apologise that Local Labour Party officers would use you in this way to try to ensure that I don’t get selected as a candidate. This is not what my politics is about. I would also like to apologise to those people who have contacted me and encouraged me to stand. Your faith and confidence in me is humbling and I’m sorry to let you down, but I hope you appreciate why.

“Normally I would stand up to bullying like this and apply anyway, because given my experience and desire to help people, I think I would be one of the best choices. I stood up at the last election because I felt it was my duty to offer myself and my experience.”

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Mr Kirby stood after Prime Minister Theresa May called a snap General Election, where in Gloucestershire the Labour Party managed to win back one seat from the Conservatives, in Stroud.

Barry Kirby at the election count on Thursday night

Speaking to Gloucestershire Live, Mr Kirby said he always put Gloucester first when he was a county councillor – he stood down this year.

“It feels like all my effort was swept away because of other people playing political games, rather than work for the good of the people,” he said.

Gloucester City Council Labour group leader Terry Pullen, who is not on the city party executive, said the party and Mr Kirby ran a strong campaign.

“As far as I am concerned, Barry was selected for the General Election by proper Labour Party procedures – we had to do it quickly because of the nature of the snap election being called.

“Barry was a good candidate, supported by the Labour Party, and by myself and other Labour councillors of Gloucester City Council.

“We worked hard, we ran a good campaign and we put a huge dent in Richard Graham’s majority as a result of that work.”

Labour group deputy leader on the city council, Lauren Fearn said: “I can’t speak for Barry but in my experience the Labour executive are fantastic and very inclusive. They were very supportive of me.”

A Labour spokesman said: “The Labour Party does not comment on internal matters.”